In Dreams
by zgirl21
Summary: Set during the Clone Wars. Anakin is presumed dead and despite her best efforts to accept this fact, Padme cannot help the dreams she has...
1. Fallen

IN DREAMS

Chapter One

The wind blew softly into the spacious bedroom. It gracefully touched everything in the room one at a time, finally catching a few papers from the massive pile that sat on an overly large marble desk. They twirled, almost as if they were in slow motion, and the sunlight managed to catch the papers in a soft, yet blinding glow.

A soft sigh was heard before a dainty figure reached down and wearily picked up the papers that had fallen to the floor. After carefully placing them back on their pile, the figure rose from her seat and quickly closed the window. She rubbed her arms to warm herself despite the warm weather that day and allowed her mind to wander. What was he doing today? Was he in some dangerous battle? Was he thinking of her at that exact moment? Was he hurt? She shook her head quickly, knowing that if something had happened to him, she would have felt it. The connection they had was practically indescribable. She could feel his presence and he could feel hers no matter the distance. It was as if their minds were entwined, as if they had twin souls.

She laughed despite her situation as she remembered the last time she had seen him. He had disguised himself as a handmaiden of all things, and got clearance to enter her chambers using a 'Jedi mind trick'. She had laughed harder than she had in a very long time, but that laughter was quickly silenced. They had had a lot of lost time to make up for. She smiled faintly at the memory of their last meeting. Had it really been three months since she had seen him? Time seemed to move so slowly when you had nothing to do but sit and wait. Wait for good news. Wait for bad news. But then again, no news could be good news. But she needed to know. She needed to know where he was, what he was going, when he would come home to her.

Her hand clasped the jappor snippet around her neck as she absentmindedly watched the speeders whiz by her chambers. She wondered if the holo-news was on, but realized almost immediately that she had just checked minutes before. No news.

Sighing yet again, she slowly walked back to her desk, after much self-coaxing, she resigned herself back to her mound of paperwork. At least she was staying busy. The last thing she needed right now was free time. Free time was torture incarnate for her. She needed to be occupied so she wasn't preoccupied with worry for him. Besides, he didn't want her to worry about him anyway.

"Milady?'

She looked up from her work briefly and smiled quickly at the sight of Sabe. It was always a relief to see her, especially when she had work to do.

"Yes, Sabe?"

"Your presence has been requested for an emergency meeting in the Senate."

Her brow furrowed with worry immediately. "Do you know what happened?"

"No, they didn't tell me anything. Just that you're needed."

She quickly nodded and left the room, the pile of paperwork left forgotten on her desk.

* * *

"Anakin! Get down!"

Anakin quickly darted to the floor, a flood of blaster fire barely missing him. His eyes followed his Master's movements, and he rolled himself behind a boulder for more cover.

"Master, I told you this was a bad idea!"

Obi-Wan cast an annoyed glance to his padawan before blocking the blow of his attacker.

"You know, Anakin, some assistance would be nice."

"Right."

With that, Anakin rolled out from behind his cover and immediately began deflecting blaster fire from his attackers. Before either of them could realize their predicament, they found themselves quickly surrounded and tiring at a rapid pace.

"Master, I don't know how much longer we can hold them!"

Obi-Wan gritted his teeth and gripped his light saber more firmly. Suddenly, an attacker swiped to the side, catching Obi-Wan in his left leg. He cried out and fell backwards, almost knocking Anakin over in the process.

"Master!"

Anakin swiftly caught Obi-Wan before he fell. Without realizing, he had just made himself and his Master completely vulnerable to attacks. Their attacks wasted no time and immediately began closing in.

By some miracle, Republic star-fighters zoomed down and began blasting at the Separatist attackers closing in on Anakin and Obi-Wan. Anakin quickly used the grace period to drag an ailing Obi-Wan into an abandoned home, and immediately began searching for something to stop Obi-Wan's leg from bleeding.

"Anakin, we can't stay here."

"I know, Master, but I have to stop the bleeding in your leg. You can't go on if I don't. And I'm not leaving you here."

They exchanged a brief smile before Anakin continued his search for some kind of medical aid. At that exact moment, a loud rumble was heard from overhead. In unison, Anakin and Obi-Wan looked hesitantly at the ceiling of their newfound shelter and within seconds, the ceiling crashed on top of them.

* * *

"Senator Amidala, the decision cannot be held off any longer. We need you to cast your vote."

Padme shook her head furiously. "No, no. I need more time. I need to think this through."

"Senator…"

"No, you cannot ask me to make such a drastic decision in such short notice. At least give me a couple of hours, even one hour to consider all of our options."

"Senator, we need you to cast your vote."

Padme sighed deeply and rubbed her aching forehead. She could feel a massive migraine coming on and having to make such a rash decision was not making it better.

"Senator…"

Suddenly, everything and everyone in the room faded out and all she could hear was Anakin. He was yelling something, she didn't know what but she was sure it was directed at Obi-Wan. She heard blaster fire and saw smoke and dust swirl around her. She could only watch in horror as attackers encircled Anakin. Everything she saw seemed to be in slow motion, Anakin was dragging Obi-Wan somewhere now, they were in some kind of house. Without warning, the house collapsed on top of her husband and she heard herself screaming as she ran from the room.

* * *

"Milady?"

Sabe gently shook a sobbing Padme and then began to rub her back soothingly.

"Something happened to him, Sabe. Something awful. What if he's hurt? What if he's dead?"

"No, no. He can't be. You've said so many times that you could always feel him. Wouldn't you have felt it if he was…well…"

"I know, I know. But something happened. Something bad. I know it. I just know it. I saw it, Sabe. The entire battle, everything. Then something collapsed on top of him, a house, I think. Sabe, I have a horrible feeling…"

"Stop, just stop. It's not doing any good worrying like this when we don't know exactly what happened if anything even happened. Come on, let's see what's on the holo-news."

Padme nodded, wiped the tears from her cheeks, and sat up. The holo-news flipped on and revealed what she had known along and Padme felt herself falling backwards before everything went black.

* * *

Obi-Wan's eyes opened slowly and he groaned as he pushed himself up from under the debris. Within moments, he realized to his horror that Anakin wasn't with him. Despite the pain in his leg, he began frantically searching under pile after pile of the fallen walls, screaming for his padawan. Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit him and he fell back into the rubble, unconscious. 


	2. Searching

IN DREAMS

Chapter Two

Obi-Wan slowly opened his eyes and then quickly shut them again. Every part of his body ached and he couldn't remember the last time he had felt that groggy. The pain in his leg wasn't as bad as he had originally thought it was. Suddenly, he shot up, ignoring the pain in his body. Anakin? Where was Anakin? Despite his body's protests, he leapt off his bed and began searching. He went from one bed to another, frantically searching and hoping that his padawan was in one of those beds.

"General! Stop! You must come back to your bed!"

Obi-Wan hesitated for one moment and looked at the medic, then continued searching, only to be physically stopped by the medic.

"Come, General. This way."

"No, no…Anakin Skywalker. Have you seen him? Is he here? Where is Anakin Skywalker?"

"General…I haven't seen him. Let's get you back into bed, and then I'll check the patient list to see if he's here."

That gave Obi-Wan some relief and he almost immediately agreed to go back to his bed, now really feeling the pain in his body. Several minutes later, the medic returned with a grim look on his face.

"I'm sorry, General. He isn't here."

"What? Can you call the other medic bases and find out if he's there?"

"Yes, General, but this is the only base in the area from miles. If he was found, they would have brought him here."

"I don't care! You call anyways…no, I'll do it. Bring me a comlink, I'll find him myself."

The medic nodded quickly, and hurried off to bring General Kenobi what he had asked for. When he returned, Obi-Wan practically leapt off the bed to grab the comlink from his hands.

After making call after call, he dejectedly gave the comlink back to the medic.

"He's not there. They don't know where he is."

The medic bit his lip before speaking again. "General, if he isn't found within 48 hours, he'll be presumed missing and…I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but if he's still under that rubble, he's probably already dead."

Obi-Wan swallowed and quickly took the comlink back from the medic. "Commander, send a search party for Anakin Skywalker. Leave no stone unturned and report back to me."

* * *

Padme rubbed her tired eyes and tried to focus on the paperwork that needed to be completed. What was she working on now? She couldn't even remember the last report she had just completed. In frustration, she slammed her pen on the desk, causing ink to splatter all over the papers. Feeling unbearably defeated, her body began to shake and tears rolled down her cheeks. She placed her head on the desk and allowed herself to sob harder. Her arm pushed all of the papers off her desk and she immediately rushed to the ground to pick them up. After a moment's pause, she began tearing them viciously apart, screaming and crying at the same time.

After every paper was ripped to pieces, she collapsed on the floor, her body shaking and heaving, her voice softly whispering: "Anakin, Anakin…"

"Milady?"

Padme looked up at see Sabe's concerned face, and managed to stop herself from crying.

"Have you heard anything, Sabe?"

Sabe quickly shook her head, her heart-breaking at the look on Padme's face.

"He's still missing, then." Padme whispered to herself.

Sabe nodded, even though Padme didn't notice.

"Milady, you need to rest. It's late and you need to gather your strength for the meeting tomorrow. How are you going to explain the dark circles under your eyes?"

Padme nodded and let Sabe help her up and lead her to her bed.

"Sabe, if you hear anything, come and tell me, I don't care what it is, just wake me up."

Sabe nodded and turned off the light before leaving the room. Padme was asleep almost immediately, her exhausted body no longer able to handle what it was going through. Her mind drifted off and before she knew it, she was in a deep sleep.

_Padme heard a knock on the door and she jumped up to answer it. She flung the door open to reveal the face of her very handsome husband. She immediately threw her arms around him and heard his laughter in her ear. _

"_Happy to see me?"_

"_Anakin, we didn't know what happened to you. The news said you were missing."_

"_Well, I'm here now, aren't I?"_

"_What happened to you? Are you alright?"_

"_Don't worry about me. I'm fine, I promise. I know you were worried and I'm sorry for that. But I'm here. I don't know when I'll have to leave again, so I want to enjoy the time I have with my wife."_

_He leaned forward, gently kissing her lips and drawing her closer to him. _

"_I can't believe you're here. It's been so long, Anakin."_

"_I know, I know. I wish there was something I could do to make it easier for you."_

"_I know, but it doesn't matter anymore. I have you here and I don't want to think about anything else."_

_He smiled softly and kissed her again. "You're absolutely right."_

Padme shot up in bed and felt tears forming in her eyes. Such a beautiful dream, Anakin was safe, he was with her, kissing her, loving her. It wasn't fair. Why did she have to have that dream? It was too sweet and too realistic. She didn't want to give herself false hope, but the dream had seemed so real. Like it could actually happen. That Anakin wasn't missing. That he was safe with her, in her arms. She shook her head, knowing that she had to be hopeful, but realistic at the same time.

She closed her eyes dejectedly, and forced herself to fall back asleep. Several hours later, Sabe entered her room and began to wake her so she could prepare for the day's duties.

* * *

Padme sighed in frustration, glad that the meeting was over, but upset that there was still no news about her husband. She was slowly going insane and the only thing that was going through her mind was that she didn't know where her husband was or if he was safe from harm. She exited the meeting room quickly, leaving Sabe to gather up her paperwork, and headed toward her destination. If anybody could give her information, it was the Jedi Council.

She turned the corner and ran directly into Jedi Master Mace Windu.

"I'm so sorry, Senator Amidala."

"Don't worry, Master Windu. I was actually on my way to speak to a member of the Council."

"What can I help you with then?"

"I wanted to inquire about General Kenobi and his padawan. I heard they were missing and I was wondering if the Council had received any word about their well-being."

Mace grimaced at the mention of the missing-in-action Jedi and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Senator. They still haven't been found."

Padme swallowed nervously, trying desperately to mask her feelings and replied with a shaky voice. "Oh, I see. I hope they are found quickly."

"Thank you, Senator."

Padme nodded and hastily turned on her heel. As he watched her leave, Mace's eyes narrowed and pondered her words, wondering at the emotional voice behind the seemingly indifferent words.


	3. Grief

IN DREAMS

Chapter Three

"_Padme…"_

_She looked up and saw him gazing at her. He reached out to stroke her hair and she immediately threw her arms around him._

"_Anakin…" she cried softly into his neck. "They don't know what happened to you. No one will tell me anything. Where are you?"_

_He drew her closer to him and wrapped his arms tightly around her to comfort her. "Don't worry…I'm alright. Don't worry about me…you need to take care of yourself."_

_She pulled out of his arms slightly and looked up at him. Then, unable to control herself, she pulled him into a passionate kiss that took him by surprise at first. He kissed her back fervently…_

Padme shot up in bed and shook her head furiously. Another dream. It seemed that she dreamed of him every night. She wouldn't have minded if the dreams weren't so disturbing. The dreams were like they were having a real conversation, like Anakin was somehow communicating with her through her dreams. The last few days had been agony and all she wanted to do was rest. But he wouldn't let her. He was haunting her, she was sure of it. She knew it was only a matter of time until her hopes were shattered.

She laid back down wearily and somehow, sleep came.

Several hours later, Padme awoke again, but this time, she bolted straight for the refresher. She crouched over the toilet, emptying the contents of her stomach into it. When her body ceased convulsing, she looked up to meet Sabe's worried eyes.

"Sabe…"

"Milady? Is everything alright?"

Padme looked down for a moment as reality sunk in. Was that why Anakin had told her to take care of herself?

"Sabe, I think I'm pregnant."

Sabe nodded quickly in understanding. Within minutes, they left to take Padme to the doctor.

* * *

Obi-Wan entered the Council conference room, leaning heavily on a cane. He still wasn't completely healed but he had to do this for Anakin.

The Council quickly fell into a hush as Obi-Wan took his place. He took a deep breath and began to relay the story. He gave the Council every detail, from the moment of attack, until he awoke in the hospital.

"Anakin has yet to be found. He was been declared missing in action. However, it is difficult to believe that he has survived if he was never recovered from the rubble."

"And the other bases where checked for him?"

"Yes, I did. He has yet to be recovered."

The Council members seemed to shake their heads in unison. The loss of Anakin Skywalker was a huge tragedy. Each Council member knew that this tragedy would also deeply affect the outcome of the Clone Wars. With nothing left to say, Obi-Wan was dismissed.

He turned a corner and ran directly into Senator Amidala.

"Senator, please excuse me."

Padme hadn't noticed the man that had run into her. She barely noticed anything anymore. It wasn't until she heard the man's voice that she looked up into the eyes of the man that she had been searching for.

"Obi-Wan?"

"Yes, Senator?"

She took a deep breath, knowing that she had almost blown her cover with Master Windu, and she wasn't about to give herself away now.

"I heard that you were back. Are you alright?"

Obi-Wan smiled good-naturedly and lightly tapped his leg. "Just a few injuries. Nothing serious."

"That's good to hear. And your padawan? Is he well?"

Obi-Wan swallowed and sadly shook his head. "Senator, I know that you and Anakin were good friends. Sit down and I'll tell you everything."

Padme's hand flew to her throat as she sat down next to Ob-Wan. Just by the tone of his voice, she could tell that what he was about to tell her was not good.

"Senator…"

"Please, Obi-Wan, call me Padme."

Obi-Wan smiled briefly before continuing. "Padme, Anakin and I were on a mission on Dant, we were almost immediately outnumbered and surrounded. I was shot in the leg and luckily, Republic star-fighters knocked some of the Separatists down. Anakin got me into shelter, and before we knew it, the roof collapsed over our heads."

Padme gasped, it was exactly had she had seen it. She must have been seeing it as it happened to her husband. She quickly turned her attention back to Obi-Wan before he could notice her unusual reaction.

"I woke up in a hospital several days later. Anakin was no where to be found."

"You mean…?"

"He's missing in action, Padme. I've been told that if he's still under the rubble, there's no way he could have lasted more than 48 hours."

"So you're saying he's dead then?"

"I don't want to, but…I don't see how he could have survived."

Padme nodded sadly, desperately trying to suppress the tears that threatened to fall.

"Give my regards to the Council. I'm truly sorry for your loss, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan nodded and softly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You know, Padme, you cared for him too. It's alright to cry for him."

She laughed softly in spite of herself and looked up at him with tears shining in her eyes.

"Thank you, Obi-Wan."

He nodded to her and watched her hurry off. She had taken the news better than he thought she would. Maybe he had been wrong, and Anakin's feelings for her were not reciprocated. He sighed and headed towards his chambers. He had his own grief to deal with.

* * *

Padme had to stop herself from running into her chambers. As soon as she was behind closed doors, she collapsed on the floor. She curled up into a tiny ball and let herself release the emotions she had been suppressing for the last few days. Her shoulders heaved with the pain she felt and tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Slowly, her hands rested on her abdomen and she began to cry even harder.

_Author's Note: Does anyone want me to continue? I definitely have plans for this story, but I haven't gotten a lot of reviews so far. Let me know if you want me to keep going with this or not. Thanks._


	4. Revelations

_Author's Note: Wow...thanks for the feedback. I didn't know that many people were reading this. Well, here it is. You asked for it. I hope it lives up to your expectations!_

IN DREAMS

Chapter Four

Padme shifted from side to side in her bed, crying out for her husband…

"_Anakin! Where are you?"_

_She turned and he was standing directly in front of her. His arms automatically encircled her waist and drew her closer to him. He lifted one hand to her face and stroked her cheek gently before he leaned down to kiss her. When the kiss subsided, he whispered softly into her ear: "Everything's going to be alright. Don't worry about me. You need to take care of yourself."_

_She smiled faintly and started to speak before he stopped her. _

"_Padme, don't listen to anything they say."_

"_What?"_

"_I'm not dead. I'm alive…I'll find a way to come home to you…I promise…"_

Padme's eyes opened wearily as the dream faded out. One hand rested gently on her slightly swelling abdomen, the other rubbed her temples. She hated those dreams. They caused her nothing but pain and anxiety. The last thing she needed right now was a stupid dream telling her that Anakin was alive…but it seemed so real…like he was really there with her…whispering in her ear. Those dreams were driving her insane and she didn't think she could take it anymore. It had been well over a month since Obi-Wan had delivered her the news of Anakin's disappearance. She knew that everyone else believed him to be dead, that he would never be seen again.

She sighed, thinking of how easily everyone had given up on him. They had sent out a search party, but that wasn't good enough for her. Not where Anakin was concerned. She wanted the Council to search every end of the galaxy for him but it was as if they had just taken the news and that was it. To the rest of the world, Anakin Skywalker was dead. But for Padme Skywalker, she knew she could never give up.

Perhaps there was someone who could help her…

* * *

Padme took a deep breath and looked down again to make sure her condition wasn't visible at all. It didn't really matter, though. He would find out sooner or later.

She knocked softly at first, then more confidently on his door. It flung open to reveal a very surprised Jedi Master.

"Senator? What…can I help you?"

Padme laughed, despite her reasons for coming to see him. "I thought I told you to call me Padme."

Obi-Wan smiled wearily and gestured for her to enter his chambers. "How can I be of service to you, Padme?"

She turned to face him and took a deep breath. "I didn't mean to interrupt you…I can come back later if you're busy…"

"Don't be silly, Padme. Please, sit down."

Padme nodded and found the couch as Obi-Wan sat down across from her. He watched her bit her lip nervously and frowned at the desperate look in her eyes. Something wasn't right here…

"I really don't know why I'm here, well, I know why, I just needed someone to confide in. I just can't take it anymore and I don't know what to do…"

He put a comforting hand on her shoulder and she stopped talking momentarily. "Slow down. I'll do the best I can, but I need to know what's going on first."

She nodded and replied hesitantly. "You have to promise me that anything I tell you will be kept strictly confidential between us."

He nodded immediately and urged her to tell him what was on her mind.

"I'm pregnant."

Obi-Wan froze and he paled at her words. He immediately reached out to grasp her hand but she pulled back suddenly.

"Who is the father?"

She looked at him with tears shining in her eyes as she responded: "Everyone thinks he's dead."

Obi-Wan exhaled loudly and ran a hand nervously through his long hair. He didn't need to told exactly who the father of Padme's child was. He had feared something like this would happen.

"There's more, Obi-Wan, I just found out yesterday that I'm having twins."

He drew in a sharp breath and a hand rose slowly to his mouth as she continued.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have burdened you with this. I just…I didn't know who to turn to."

Suddenly, he snapped out of his trance and quickly moved to embrace her. "Don't worry; everything's going to be alright. You'll see."

"But how? He'll never see them; they'll never know their father. You have to find him; you have to bring him home to us."

"Padme…"

"I don't care about that, Obi-Wan. He's not dead. He can't be."

He sighed and looked at her sadly. "I know you want to believe that, but he's gone, Padme. He's not going to be come back. I'm so sorry…"

"No, he's my husband…"

"Your what?"

"Anakin and I married shortly after the Battle on Genosis. Obi-Wan, I have these dreams. Anakin comes to me in my dreams. He always tells me that everything is going to be alright and that I should take care of myself. Last night, he told me that he was still alive and that he promised he would find a way to come back to me. You see, he's alive and he's coming back. You have to help him."

Obi-Wan took a small step back, not completely sure if she was in her right mind or not.

Padme looked at him in shock. Why didn't he believe her? She was sure that Anakin was alive…she had thought that if anyone would believe her, it would be Obi-Wan. She looked up as he spoke.

"Padme, I want to believe that he's alive just as much as you do, but the fact is…"

"The fact is there are no facts. The fact is there is no body, Obi-Wan. There is absolutely no proof that he really is dead. All you know is that he couldn't have survived under the rubble. Did you ever stop to think that maybe he got out too? That maybe he's lying somewhere hurt or in pain or dying? You have to find him, you owe him that for leaving him there to die!"

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak but was too shocked to find the words he wanted to say to her. She was right. She was absolutely right. He had left his padawan to die. Anakin was dead now because of him. He somehow found Padme's angry eyes and stared into them with remorse and regret.

"Alright, I'll help you."

* * *

Somewhere, deep within the galaxy, a Separatist guard unlocked a prison cell door. He walked in swiftly and surveyed the sight before him. A man, a Jedi, lay on the cold ground, shaggy blonde curls shading the man's tightly shut eyes. The guard leaned forward to make sure the prisoner was still alive. He saw the Jedi's shoulders rise and fall and nodded with satisfaction. As he turned to leave, he heard the Jedi whisper softly:

"Padme, I'll find a way to come back to you…I promise…take care of yourself…Padme…"


	5. Torture

IN DREAMS

Chapter Five

Padme stared at Obi-Wan expectantly. So he was going to help her…this was the first step in the right direction to finding her husband.

Obi-Wan stared back at Padme, still wondering if she was in her right mind or not. She adamantly believed that Anakin was still alive and he definitely couldn't deny the connection the couple had. But that didn't change the fact that Anakin had yet to be found and was very close to being presumed dead. Still, maybe he owed it to his padawan and his wife. And if Anakin was dead, he deserved a proper funeral and Padme deserved to have her husband's body.

"Alright, Padme. I'll leave tomorrow morning. I promise you, Padme, I won't return without Anakin."

Padme exhaled with relief and immediately threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me, how much this will mean to Anakin."

"Oh, I might have an idea."

They shared a brief smile at his last comment, then Obi-Wan's face turned more somber.

"Padme, there's something else that we have to talk about."

She turned a suddenly worried face to him as he continued.

"Anakin was one of the highest midichlorian count ever recorded. And you know that all babies are tested for midichlorians after they're born, right?"

Padme nodded, not really sure where he was going with this. Then, suddenly it hit her. Her children would have extremely high counts.

"What's going to happen to them, Obi-Wan?"

"The Council will take them as new padawans."

"No…they can't…you have to do something…they can't take my children from me." She reached out and clung to his arm desperately to make him see that she would die if they were taken from her.

"Please, Obi-Wan, they're all I have left of…of Anakin. They're a part of him, gifts from him…you can't let them take my children from me."

Obi-Wan looked at her with pity, not really knowing a way to make this better for her. She had already been through so much and now this…he wasn't sure how much she would be able to take. In truth, he wasn't sure how much more he could take. But he had to think of some way to help her, because he knew Anakin would want him to.

"Listen to me, you need to calm down. It's not good for the children for you to get this upset. I'll think of something. I promise. I'll do research and I'll try to find some way to get around that. The Council won't take them from you Padme. I won't let it happen."

She nodded, feeling immense relief at his comforting words and quickly wiped away the tears that had fallen on her cheeks. He put a hand on her shoulder then turned to leave.

"Obi-Wan?"

He turned back to meet her grateful eyes.

"Thank you. So much. I don't know how I'll ever repay for what you're going to do for us."

He could only smile at her then turned once again to walk out the door. She wouldn't have to repay him. He owed it to them both.

* * *

Anakin turned his head despite the immense pain in his neck and stared intensely at one of his captors. His arms were pinned behind his back and all he wanted to do was stand up to stretch his aching legs. But he couldn't move and his head was pounding.

One of his captors took a step forward then crouched down so he could look his captive in the eye.

"Listen, Jedi. You have two choices. You can either cooperate with us and just tell us what we want to know and you won't get hurt anymore than you already are. In fact, I'll even let a medic tend to you if you cooperate. But if you don't, I'll make you that you'll wish you were dead."

Anakin's eyes narrowed suspiciously at this, knowing all too well what his Separatist captors wanted him to tell them. He shook his head furiously.

"I'm not going to tell you anything."

His captor leaned forward and pushed his finger into one of Anakin's many cuts, making him cry out in agony.

"Will you tell me now?"

Again, Anakin shook his head. With that, his captor kicked him in the stomach, causing Anakin to fall forward, but was held back by the restraints on his arms. He moaned in pain as his body cried out in anguish from the beatings that had already taken place.

"Now, there's more where that came from. I'm going to ask you some questions and it would be wise to answer."

Anakin didn't respond and his captor continued.

"Where will the next Republic attack be?"

Anakin remained silent and was rewarded with a punishing punch to his jaw.

"What is the Jedi Council's next mission?"

Anakin spit blood at his captor's shoes and his captor swiftly responded by kicking him in the face. Despite the blood that now dripped down his face and the unimaginable pain coursing through his body, Anakin remained strong and silent through the rest of his captor's questions. He asked about the Senate, the Chancellor, and some of the bills that were being proposed in the Senate. Anakin remained silent throughout all of the questioning, even as the brutal beatings continued.

But it wasn't until the questioning took a particular turn that his captors got the break they were looking for.

"And Senator Amidala, where does she fit with the bill proposed by Senator Organa?"

Anakin's eyes narrowed and his breathing became heavier. He could feel the anger rising inside his body and he shifted vicious eyes at his captor.

His captor narrowed his eyes in return, then smiled smugly. Senator Amidala was the key to breaking the Jedi. It was obvious from his reaction at the mention of the Senator, when all he had done before was stare with indifference.

"Senator Amidala will be killed if you don't talk."

Anakin clenched his jaw in anger and closed his eyes tightly. He wasn't about to allow anything to happen to his wife, but he also couldn't betray the Republic. Padme wouldn't want that. Instead, he inwardly resolved to take the middle ground.

Anakin shook his head furiously, telling his captors that he would not respond to their questions. Padme, you need to be careful. Someone might be coming to hurt you. You need to be careful. Take care of yourself. I love you.

* * *

Padme shot up in bed and quickly drew a hand to her slightly swelling stomach. Another dream about Anakin. His voice was still ringing in his head and again, it was like he was right there beside her, whispering in her ear:

"Padme, you need to be careful. Someone might be coming to hurt you. You need to be careful. Take care of yourself. I love you."

She didn't know how much more of this she could take, but for now, she would just have to enjoy this moment, as if he were really there with her.


	6. An Escape

IN DREAMS

Chapter Six

Padme ran through the halls, frantically searching for Captain Typhoo, not really caring about the looks she was receiving. When she found the man she was searching for, she grabbed his arm and drew him into an empty room.

"Senator? What's going on…"

"I think there's going to be an attempt on my life soon. Don't ask how I know, just increase my security until I alert you with any further information."

Captain Typhoo nodded and before he could respond, Padme was already out the door.

She immediately ran back to her chambers and reached for her comlink. As Obi-Wan's face appeared, she exhaled loudly.

"Padme, is everything alright?"

"It is now. I just wanted to tell you that Anakin came to me in a dream last night. He told me that someone could try to kill me, I think it's whoever has him right now. You see? I told you, he's alive, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan bit his lip nervously, a little unnerved that Padme was so excited to have yet another attempt on her life. He also knew he had to be careful with what he said to her. He couldn't bring himself to tell her that her dream didn't necessarily prove anything. Besides, he didn't want to do anything that could endanger the children she was carrying. If only Anakin was alive…he would be so happy to find out he was going to be a father to not one but two babies.

"Padme…just make sure you have a bodyguard with you at all times."

She nodded. "I already alerted Captain Typhoo on the matter and he increased security."

"Good, good. I'll check in with you in a few hours, alright?"

"Ok, Obi-Wan."

They said their goodbyes and as Obi-Wan's image disappeared, Padme turned her attention elsewhere.

She looked at her image in the mirror and turned to gaze at her profile. If you looked closely enough, you could see the slight swell of her abdomen. She smiled softly and placed a hand gently on the swell. It wouldn't be long until it was obvious that she was pregnant. She made a mental note to have some dresses made to hide this fact. Regrettably, she knew that Obi-Wan and her handmaidens were the only ones who could know her secret. And soon, Anakin would know too.

A cool breeze swept into the room and she looked up with a perplexed expression on her face. She suddenly got an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach and her heart began to race. Someone was in her room. A hand immediately went to her stomach as she called security.

In one swift movement, she saw a figure run out from behind a curtain and leap out the window. Her hand flew to her mouth, the other still resting on her stomach, and she remained that way until security arrived.

* * *

"General, I have news that will be of great interest to you."

"Go ahead."

"Senator Amidala is pregnant."

The Separatist General froze and turned to his informer. "You're positive?"

"Absolutely, General."

The General nodded and smiled. "I wonder who the father is?"

* * *

Anakin shifted his weight to his side, ignoring the sharp pain in his side. His hair hung in his eyes and he flipped his head in annoyance to get it out of the way. He heard footsteps and felt a cold hand grip his heart. Where they coming to tell him that they had killed her? No…he wouldn't felt it…he would have sensed her pain…

"Skywalker, I have some news for you about your Senator."

That cold hand gripped Anakin's heart more fiercely as he waited for the news.

"She's pregnant."

If he hadn't been chained to the wall, Anakin would have fallen over in shock. His breath came in a sharp intake and his shoulders began to heave, despite his efforts to control his emotions. Pregnant? Oh God, oh God, oh God…he had to get out of here and soon.

"Don't look so concerned, Skywalker. You're not the father. A reliable source has told me that she has another lover, since you've been gone so long of course."

Anakin leaped forward with only the chains holding him back from ripping the man's head off his neck.

"You son of a bitch! How dare you even suggest that about her?"

His captor laughed mercilessly, knowing that this was exactly what he had been hoping for.

"Ahh, Skywalker, you're so predictable it hurts. I'll make a deal with you. You tell me what I want to know and that pregnant whore won't die."

At those words, Anakin again leapt forward in an attempt to strike out at his captor.

"Don't you ever talk like that about her again or I swear I'll kill you." He said, frighteningly calm now.

His captor narrowed his eyes, and swallowed back the small twinge of fear that had begun to form at those words. But the Jedi was chained to the wall and couldn't hurt him. And he would stay that way.

"You can't hurt me. But I can hurt your precious Senator with just a snap of my fingers. I suggest you listen to me and tell me what I want to know or both she and her unborn child will pay with their lives."

Anakin closed his eyes briefly, trying to calm himself down and think about what he had to do next. He had to escape and protect his family before something terrible happened to them. But how was he going to get himself out of this mess? He had been here for days now, and an opportunity had yet to present itself.

He vowed to himself that he would do anything and everything in his power to get out of those shackles and back to his wife and unborn child. He just had to wait for the right time…

Fortunately for Anakin, his luck was about to change.

"Well, Skywalker, I'm feeling a little gracious today. I'll give you a few hours to contemplate your decision. After all, I realize that it must feel like the weight of the entire universe is on your shoulders because it is. I'll be back in several hours and by then, you'd better be ready to talk or else your Senator and her unborn child will pay dearly."

With that, his captor walked out the door, leaving just one guard. Anakin couldn't believe his eyes. This was his chance, they were leaving him with only one obstacle and he was going to take the opportunity.

"Excuse me, could I have some water, please?" He asked the guard.

The guard leaned down right next to Anakin to draw some water and Anakin quickly kicked him in the stomach. He immediately extended his hand, and using the Force, grabbed the guard's blaster pistol from the air. He quickly used the pistol to free himself from his shackle and kicked the guard once again to ensure that he wouldn't try to stop him from escaping.

Anakin quietly opened the door and surveyed the hallway. There was no one in sight. Just as he had taken his first step into the hallway, he was struck from behind. With a loud groan of pain, Anakin fell to the floor and felt himself being turned over. His captor's piercing eyes met his own and Anakin felt a sinking feeling creep to the pit of his stomach.

He closed his eyes as he heard his captor growl: "Your Senator is as good as dead."


	7. Bittersweet

IN DREAMS

Chapter Seven

Padme stared out the window and watched the speeders whiz by. She looked at the clock with an annoyed expression on her face, she still had several hours before her Senate meeting. That was the last thing she wanted to do right now. It was so hard for her to go to meeting after meeting, when all she wanted to do was find Anakin. On top of that, she also had her children to worry about.

Obi-Wan's last words to her had been unnerving, something she hadn't allowed herself to think about until he had mentioned it. What if the Council took them away from her? What would she do then? Her very reason for being would be shattered, especially if Anakin never came back to her.

She shook her head furiously. No, she couldn't think like that. Obi-Wan would find her husband, just like he promised, and she would be reunited with him. Then she would get to share her wonderful news with him and then they could be a family. She could leave the Senate and go to Naboo with Anakin to raise their children. And they could be happy and at peace.

She sighed, realizing what a dream that was. Unlikely, maybe, but all she had at the moment were her dreams. For now, that would have to be enough. Because her husband was still missing and her children were still in danger of being stolen from her.

Her head jerked up and she felt a chill run down her spine. She was getting the same feeling she had when someone had been in her room the previous night. She shuddered slightly, not sure if she was feeling déjà vu or the real thing. She abruptly walked to her closet and retrieved a wrap, feeling extremely cold despite the fact that it was the sun was shining brightly into her rooms.

As soon as she walked back out of her closet, she stopped and rested a hand lightly on her swelling abdomen. That feeling just wouldn't go away, the feeling that danger was near by and could strike at anytime. Simply shrugging her shoulders, she walked back out to stand by the window again.

Suddenly she was grabbed from behind and a cold gloved hand clamped around her mouth, silencing her screams for help. She was turned around forcefully and abruptly slapped in the face. That sent her flying to the ground before she was roughly picked up then punched in the face. She tried to cry out and kick her attacker, but it was no use. Her attacker held her arms strongly at her side, then out of nowhere, another attacker put a cloth over her mouth. Before she could even comprehend what was happening to her, she passed out into the arms of those who had attacked her.

* * *

Anakin sighed and shifted his weight to try to make himself more comfortable. He sighed again and rested his head against the wall, leaning the rest of his body against the cold concrete as well. There was no getting comfortable there. The only place Anakin knew he would be comfortable was in his bed with Padme sleeping in his arms.

A sharp chill ran down his spine as he sensed something he hadn't felt in a long time. Padme's presence. No…she couldn't be here…what had he done?

* * *

The General shoved Padme roughly onto the ground so he could take a better look at her. She was still unconscious and he nodded with satisfaction as he surveyed her appearance.

"Good. Very good. This should make him crack. As soon as she wakes up, bring her to Skywalker."

The officer nodded and cast a weary glance at their new female prisoner. He had to stop himself from shuddering at what he had been forced to do to her. And on top of all that, she was pregnant. Beating a pregnant woman just didn't sit right with him, even if she was a Senator. He prayed that Skywalker wouldn't put him in a position to have to do that again.

His thoughts were interrupted as the Senator stirred and he knew she was beginning to wake up from her unconscious state.

"Time to meet up with your lover, and for both our sakes, I hope he finally decides to cooperate." He muttered under his breath as leaned to down to help the Senator stand.

* * *

Padme didn't know where she was. She felt groggy and disoriented. All she knew was that she was walking somewhere in a dark, cold corridor. She looked up and saw the man who had taken her. No matter where he was taking her, she knew that she needed to start fearing for her life and the lives of her unborn children.

The man opened a door and pushed her into the room. Her eyes tried to focus against the darkness and could just barely make out a form against the wall. Her heart began to race as she took a step closer to the figure.

Anakin couldn't believe his eyes. There she was standing right in front of him. Despite the darkness surrounding them, he could see her face and his heart leapt with joy.

"Padme?"

Upon hearing that voice, Padme was jolted out of her trance. She moved closer to the voice, praying that she wasn't hearing things, that the voice was really the voice of her husband.

"Anakin?"

Now she was right next him and she heard a guard behind them, fumbling with some keys. The guard quickly released Anakin from his chains and Anakin took a step closer to her.

She could feel his breath on her face and she looked up at the face she hadn't seen in months. Within moments, she was in his arms. He stroked her hair, relishing the feeling of having her back in his arms after so long.

"It's alright. I'll think of something." He whispered in her ear gently.

She lifted her head to look at him and at that moment, Anakin noticed something that he had missed before on her face. He touched the bruise on her cheek lightly, then quickly pulled back his hand when she winced from the contact. He immediately pulled her back into his arms and kissed her forehead gently.

"I'm so sorry, Padme. I should have been there to protect you. This is all my fault. I did this."

She pulled away from him and looked him in the eye.

"What are you talking about…how is this your fault?"

"These men who took us, they've been trying to get me to tell them things about the Republic. They've been asking me questions about the Senate and their next moves. When they mentioned your name, I gave myself away with my reaction. I just couldn't stop myself from reacting when they asked me about you. I know that's why they brought you here, because they know I care about you, and they're going to use you to make me talk."

She bit her lip nervously. "You can't do that, you know. Everything that's going on is bigger than you or me. We can't let them destroy what we've worked so hard for."

He nodded and pulled her to him again, wanting to feel her again. It was then that he finally felt the change in his wife's figure. He placed a hand gently on her stomach and kissed her lips softly.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to protect you and our child, Padme. Nothing is going to happen to you, they're going to have to kill me first."

She grimaced at his last comment, then turned her attention to where his hand rested. "Anakin, there's something else that you should know. We're…having twins."

A bright smile spread across his face and he immediately pulled her into a passionate kiss.

"Padme, everything is going to be alright. I'll take care of you and our children. Everything's going to be fine, now. Don't worry about what happens to me, now. You just need to concentrate on the children, alright?"

She nodded quickly and kissed him again. But they're reunion was interrupted by the guard re-entering the cell. He jerked Padme out of Anakin's arms and she cried out and tried to fight the guard off.

But she stopped when she heard Anakin calling to her: "Stop, Padme. You'll just make it worse. Remember what I said. I love you."

She turned to him one more time before she was dragged from the room and shouted a quick 'I love you'. He smiled reassuringly and nodded to her to let the guard take her from him once again.

As the door shut, once again separating Padme from her husband, she finally completely relented from trying to fight off the guard. She was tired and seeing Anakin alive was more than she could handle. She would just have to rest all her faith in her husband. After all, he had never failed her before. Why would he start now?


End file.
